Fastening for the ends of wire cables.



L. MARGHAND, JR. FASTENING FOR THE ENDS 0F WIRE GABLES. APPLIUATEON IILED OUT. 2, 1909. RENEWED NOV.22, 1910 985,915. Patented Mar.7,1911.

tion.

in their sockets which may be readily util- LOUIS MARCHAND, JR., PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

FASTENING FOR THFJ ENDS OF WIRE CABLES.

Application filed October 2, 1909, Serial No. 520,670.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS MAncnANn, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at littsburg, county of Allegheny, and 'State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastenings for the Ends of Fire Cables; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon) I The present invention relates to devices for securing the ends of wire cables within terminal sockets such as are ordinarily used inconnecting cables with anchors or with parts to be supported by the cable.

The objects of the invention are to provide a. simple, cheap structure which will securely grip and hold the extreme end of a wire cable Without introducing strains such as would tend to weaken the strands at any point.

A further object of the invention is to provide a means for anchoring cable ends ized by linemen and others having charge of such work without the necessity of employing special tools or means for preparing either the cable end or the parts coiiperating therewith, thus adapting the structure for use in guy-rope or cable work tor trolley road installations, although it ill be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to this particular use.

-Referring to the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective View of one end of a 7-Wire cable anchored in a terminal socket in accordance with the presentinven- Fig. 2 is a sectional view in a plane parallel with the major axis of the socket, the cable being in elevation. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the internal anchor or tapering plug on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a similar vlew of the plug with its exterior surface recessed to receive the wires of the cable. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the plug or anchor with the 'exterior surface Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 7, i911.

Renewed November 22, 1910. Serial No. 593,723.

corrugated or roughened. Fig. 6 is a section r is subjected and. at the same time, aflord the means whereby the anchoring device is prevented from squeezing out or releasing the ends of the wires either under excessive tension strains'or upon the sudden release of strain.

The letter A indicates a terminal socket or casting having its body portion of cylindrical or other appropriate shape externally but with a central longitudinal aperture of frustoconical form tapering from the inner to the outer end of the casting. This frustoconical aperture is well illustrated in Fig. 2 and indicated by the letter B, its smaller end being preferably made of such diameter that it will receive cables of the largest size with which the device is adapted for use. Suitable eyes or loops such as C, C may be conveniently formed integral with the socket or casting and extend rearwardly for the reception of anchoring bolts or other means whereby the socket or terminal casting is held, but it will be understood that the terminal socket may be held in any ordinary or preferred manner.

The terminal end of the cable F which is to be secured in the socket is passed in through the smaller end of the aperture and the wires forming said cable are spread and separated or given a conical formation by means of a spreader or plug G. This spreader or plug G is of frusto-conical form with an external taper which corresponds to the taper of the aperture in the terminal casting or socket. The plug is provided with a central bore 5 for the reception of the core of the cable and it is of such construction that when driven or drawn into the socket it will be sufficiently deformed to effectually grip the said core and become locked thereto.

In the preferred construction the plug or spreader is split longitudinally by a kerf H which extends entirely through one side of the wall and partly through the other side of the wall, whereby, as the plug is drawn or driven into the socket the two sides will be forced toward each other to grip the core at the same time that the exterior or sheath wires of the cable are gripped between the plug and wall of the aperture through the socket.

By locking the plug to the core of the cable and causing the parts to mutually coact in their gripping action, not only are the strands held with a uniform pressure and each caused to bear its proportion of the strain, but there is little or no danger of the anchor being released by a reverse movement of the cable with relation to the socket.

In the manufacture of the device for commercial purposes, it is designed that the taper of the socket and plug shall be so proportioned that the plug cannot be squeezed out of position by excessive strain and'at the same time while the wires will not be cut or weakened the gripping action will be sufficient to hold them tight enough to withstand all strains they are capable of bearing. It is also designed that the terminal castings or sockets shall be of such size as to adapt them for use with cables of different sizes, it only being necessary to supply plugs or spreaders of proper size for cooperation with each particular size of cable or size of wire forming the strands of the cable.

' I11 some instances it is found desirable to provided surfaces for contact with the wires which will bite or indent the wires between the gripping surfaces, for instance, where plugs or spreaders of extreme hardness are employed in connection with wires which are relatively soft and where this is desired the external surface of the plugmay be roughened or ribbed, as illustrated at I in Fig. 5, or, said external surface may have positioning grooves for the ends of the wires, as shown at K in Fig. 4.

The grip of the plug or spreader upon' the core of the cable may likewise be increased by roughening the interior surface of the plug or spreader conveniently by-formin'g a screw thread L therein, as illustrated in tial and may be dispensed with Where the plug socket and wires of the cable are of approximately equal hardness.

The use of the invention dispenses with the necessity of employing soft metal fillers for the ends of the cable and, besides effecting a saving in wire the invention gives a maximum gripping and holding effect with the least possible liability of cutting the individual strands or of throwing a greater strain upon one strand than upon another.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1, A connector of the character described, comprising a socket having a tapering aperture therethrough adapted to receive the strands of -a cable, and a central collapsible spreader having its collapsible walls connected to simultaneously move longitudinally said spreader having a central longitudinal aperture therethrough adapted to receive and grip by collapsing thereon the core of a cable, and also having a tapering external strand engaging surface between which and the internal face of the socket the external strands of the cable are gripped the taper of the socket aperture and of the spreader'being made to correspond whereby the pressure on the strands is distributed uniformly in the gripped area.

2. A connector of the character described, comprising an integral unyielding socket having a tapering aperture therethrough adapted to receive and grip the strands of a cable, and an integral spreader having an external tapering strand engaging surface between which and the tapering internal surface of the socket the external strands of a cable are gripped, said spreader having a central longitudinal aperture therethrough adapted to receivethe core of a cable, the wall of said spreader, being split longitudinally on one side whereby it is adapted to be collapsed by the external pressure of the strands and socket to grip the core and the taper of the socket aperture and of the spreaderbeing made'to correspond whereby the pressure on the strands is distributed uniformly in the gripped area.

3. A connector of the character described comprising an integral unyielding socket having a .frustro-conical aperture therethrough adapted to receive the strands of a cable and a frusto-conical spreader having its tapered face formedwith a plurality of spiral grooves, each extending from end to end of the spreader, said grooves being spaced apart and adapted to receive and position the external strands of the cable.

4. A connector of the character described comprising an integral unyielding socket having a frusto-conical aperture there.-

through adapted to receive the strands of a cable and a frusto-conical spreader having an external cable strand engaging face and a 7 central cable core receiving aperture adapted to receive and grip a single cable core strand, the wall of said spreader being split longitudinally andthe wall of the aperture being roughened to grip the cable core the taper of the socket aperture and of the spreader being made to correspond whereby 10 the pressure on the strands is distributed uniformly throu hout the grip ed area.

L UIS MARC AND, JR.

Witnesses:

THOMAS DUnAN'r, ALEX S. STEUART. 

